Named Again
by Josephine Taylor
Summary: Okies, this is just the start and new chapters shall be added soon. Set about 18 years after the end of 'the key'. Please Read and Review and let me know what you think. Thanks.
1. Prologue

A gale blew over the grounds and against the shuttered windows, making a howling sound through the corridors and over the moors. Inside was a frenzy of muttered activity, everyone busy but making as little noise as possible. Then, piercing the quietness from behind two tall gilded doors, came the strangled scream of someone in pain. The pain of a woman in labour.

As suddenly as the scream came it went and was replaced, after a few moments, by a new cry, a softer cry and a sound that hadn't been heard for a while in the vast palace.

Inside the room, a woman laying exhausted on the bed whilst a man stroked her forehead, whispering calming and loving things to her. Silently she was handed a small bundle wrapped in gold by one of the other woman in the room. The tired mother stared down at the bundle, her face full of an exhausted happiness.

From the shadows of the room another man, tall and giving off an aura of majesty and power, stepped forward.

'She is beautiful. Have you decided on a name yet?'

The mother and father looked at each over and shared a secret, loving smile.

'Aelora.' They recited at once.

The man smiled. Stepping up to the small family, he bent over the little bundle and placed a kiss on the infants forehead.

'Welcome, Aelora Becket.'


	2. Chapter 1 Aelora

A/N Okies first chapter of my first attempt at a fanfic. Please read and review, all your comments are welcome (except flames please), I'd really like to try and improve on my writing style.

Only Aelora, Eloise, Ethan and the plot are mine, everything else belongs to the wonderful Marianne Curley!

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**Chapter One**

**Aelora**

One thing that always struck me as strange about this place (and it still does!) is the weather. It's always sunny and warm, except when the Immortal is in a rage or something. Then the weather shifts drastically, usually to a thunder or lightening storm and there have been a lot of them recently, I should know!

Smiling I slide off the window seat where I had been sitting, gazing out across the central courtyard. Yet again the day was warm and bright, but there was a hint of a storm in the air, a kind of semi-hostile feel floating about the palace. Everyone could tell that we were in for another Immortal rage.

'What have you done this time?'

Startled, I spin around and see a young woman coming towards me, her purple eyes glittering in amusement.

'What makes you think _I_ did anything?' Pulling as innocent face as I can, I bat my eyelids at her, but it doesn't fool either of us. Soon we're laughing heartily together.

I follow the new comer to a set of chairs to one end of the comfortable room she had found me in. Once we are seated I look around, expecting to someone else to follow. When no one turns up I look back at the purple-eyed girl opposite me.

'Where's Ethan?'

She smiles and tucks a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. 'He's staying with Grandpa Jimmy for a while.'

'Oh.' I know that Ethan had become somewhat bored and restless living in the palace. Going to live with Jimmy in the mortal world would be good for him. Still, I'll miss having him around.

'So what did you do?'

'Eloise...' I look at her, innocence plastered on my face. 'Why would you suggest I had anything to do with the present weather conditions?'

Eloise just raises her eyebrows and a knowing look enters her eyes. I smile. I can't help it. Every time Eloise pulls that face it makes me smile, no matter what. The truth is, I'm not sure what I could have done to make the immortal mad, but there is no question that it was something to do with me. No one else had create the immortal to anger quite like I can. I guess that should explain something about our relationship.

'Well, weather aside... I wanted to talk to you about Elenna.' Eloise's voice is quiet and laced with concern. I frown, trying to remember what I know about the situation. Elenna is one of the tribunal members, leader of the House of Isle, but lately she has taken a sickness that no one can seem to cure, not even Isabel, whose powers as a healer far out weigh those of anyone else. Eloise, as I understand it, seems to have taken Elenna's welfare to heart and is personally taken on the responsibility of looking after the Tribunal member.

'Has something happen?'

Eloise's forehead constricts slightly and she begins biting her lower lip. Not a good sign. From growing up with Eloise I know that this habit means that she is worried.

'No ... but I believe I know what is making her ill.'

My eyes open wide. If she has found out what it is then her powers have grown more than any of us knew. But something in my friend's manner has me thinking again. Surely if Eloise had found a cure or source she would be more happy and joyful? Surely she would be coming to me and saying that she had cured the lady. Suddenly it clicks what she is trying to say.

'The order? You think someone from the order is making Lady Elenna ill?'

She nods.

'Impossible.' My voice is filled with certainty. The order has not been so bold in 18 years. They are just a ragged bunch that gives us only the small amount of trouble now and again. 'The order couldn't be behind this. For one thing they could not have got to Elenna, she rarely leaves the palace and now with her sickness she doesn't leave at all.'

'Still, something is making and keeping her ill.'

I pause and sigh. Somehow I sense what it is that she sought me out for, even though her thoughts are completely screened to me. 'What is it you want me to do?'

She hesitates, but only for a moment. 'Can you talk to your father for me? Ask him to investigate this?'

'Why don't you do it yourself?'

'Because it would hold more weight coming from you. Plus he's busy at the moment, too busy to see much of us, but not you. You are his daughter after all.'

I consider it for a moment, before finally conceding. 'Fine. I'll talk to him. Can't promise anything mind!'

I see the relief fill Eloise's face, her purple eye's gaining a look of happiness and relief that makes me realise had been absent from them. I smile and settle more comfortably in my chair.

'So how long is Ethan away for?'


	3. Chapter 2 Ethan

**Chapter Two**

**Ethan**

So much for my 'vacation.' Typical, my first time back staying in Angel Falls for months and it starts raining! Bloody typical. So now I'm stuck inside. Jimmy being down in Veridian, I've nothing much to do and no one around. Still, it's better than being _there_.

Turning from the window I look around the room. Its a comfortable place with squishy chairs and a real working fireplace, which at the moment is lit due to the chill lingering in the air. Scattered about the room are photographs and odd trinkets that Jimmy has collected over the years. I can't help but let a smile onto my face as I see a of picture of my mum look quite young.

Standing, I move to the mantelpiece and pick up a photograph in a large silver frame before returning t my place in the window seat.

I look down at the photograph in my hand, which shows a group of nine people, all of whom I know but several I've never met.

The woman in the middle I immediately recognise since she's barely changed at all in the years since this was taken. Her blonde hair shinning in the sun and her brown eye's glittering in happiness. My mum. She's hand in hand with a blue haired, purple eyed man who is also smiling away happily, holding onto her tightly, my parents. A small smile appears on my face. Some thing's will never change.

My eyes shift to the man on the right of my father and my eyes narrow. I've heard a lot about this traitor and anger still rises whenever I think about it. Next to the traitor, looking uncomfortable with the group beside her stands (slightly apart) a young woman with startling green eye.

'Rochelle,' I murmur, putting my face closer to the frame for closer inspection. Over the years I have heard all about her death at the hands of Neriah's father, Marduke. My mum is always telling me that Ethan was never the same after the death of his soul mate (at which point she always clutches my father's hand tightly!)

_Ethan..._

The mention of him has my eye's zooming across the photograph to the young man standing next to my mum, his arm around her shoulders.

'Looks nothing like me!' I mutter, slightly angry.

Ethan died a month before I was born and therefore I never had a chance to meet him. My mum talks about him often and its who I'm named after. But sometimes, its a ... burden.

Somehow it feels like everything I do is compared to this 'perfect' Ethan, who was always loyal to the guard, always trustful, perfect in his powers and in everything he did. Frustration fills me as I place the frame, glass side down, on the seat beside me.

Sighing I turn to the outside and rest my forehead against the cool glass. That was one of the reasons why I hate being in the palace all the time. Everyone there knew Ethan and I feel like I'm a walking reminder of him, just because our names are the same. It wasn't my fault! Outside, night has fallen and the street lights have been lit, bathing everything in an orange glow. The sound of a door opening and closing announces Jimmy's return.

'Ethan?'

'In here.'

The door opens and Jimmy steps in. Seeing me sat on the window seat his face breaks into a smile to which I can't help but return. Just like Eloise, Jimmy's presence is enough to make anyone feel better. He takes off his jacket, slinging it on the back of the sofa before lowering himself into one of the armchairs by the fire. I move from the window to sit next to him.

'How are the fortifications coming?'

Jimmy nods. 'They're coming along good.' But he doesn't elaborate, not that I expect him to. Having not yet been initiated into the guard I don't have access to such important information.

It can't be long till my initiation though. I've been an active member for the past few years, what could they be waiting for? Mum was initiated at my age! Its things like this that I wish I were like Aelora. Being immortal meant you didn't even need an initiation!

'There is a mission planned for tonight.'

Jimmy's words bring my mind back to the present and I sit a little straighter.

'A mission?'

Jimmy smiles and nods before standing. 'Yeah, so you better get to bed on time!' He rests a hand on my shoulder before exiting the room. I sit where I am for a minute before picking up the picture frame, placing it back on the mantelpiece.

As I turn to leave, two people on the end of the group catch my eye. The look awkward stood next to each over. I grin. Obviously the photo had been taken before Matt and Neriah got together.

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A/N - Okies, Im sorry nothing much interesting has happened in this chapter. This was just really a one in which I introduced Ethan. The next chapter will be more interesting I promise! Please R&R, all your comments are welcome :D

Okies first thanks soooo much for the reviews, its really appreachiated (sp?) hugs, second I know that there has been a lot of confusion as to ages and parentage and things, but i've deliberating kept names out of things so please don't think your missing anything! Everything (sorta) should be clear in this chapter and deffinately in the next chapter, so please bear with me :D


	4. Chapter 3 Ethan

**Disclaimer** - Characters apart from Ethan and Aelora belong to the wonderful Marianne Curley. Flora is, in fact, a real historical person:D

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**Chapter Three**

**Ethan**

I drop into the citadel and land squarely on my feet. A grin on my face I take in the room around me. It's a large, bright room with statue's of every size dotted about the place, the walls coloured in varying shades of pastel. The nearest statue, a bust of the goddess Athena, makes me stop and look. Why have I landed here? Jimmy's always saying that there's a reason for everything.

A sound behind me makes me turn. A little way back a figure begins to form beside the Greek god Poseidon, finally materialising in Aelora. She looks around for a second, clearly trying to figure out the allocation of the room, before spotting me. Her face breaks into a wide smile and she rushes forwards, pulling me into a tight hug.

'Ethan!' She pulls back and searches my face, probably to make sure that I wasn't suffering from neglect. 'Eloise said you were staying with Jimmy, how's it going?'

I open my mouth to answer but before I can get a word out a cough to our right announces the arrival of a third person. Beside me Aelora moves forward and embraces the newcomer.

'How are you Uncle Arkarian? I haven't seen you in a while.'

'I've been well, thank you Aelora.' Arkarian's purple eyes, so like my own, seek me out, softening at the sight of me. As I reach the pair he pulls me close into something resembling a bear hug. 'How are you son?'

Patting him on the back I smile. Because of my dad's heavy, not to mention important, workload there is often large absences between us seeing each other.

'Well. Jimmy's taking good care of me.'

Dad looks at me for a moment before letting me go and stepping back, apparently satisfied that I'm telling the truth. Sometimes its rather annoying your parents being so over protective, but then I guess they mean well.

'Well, it's not good to linger so I'll get straight to the point. You two are going back to 1872, to protect a young girl named Flora. We suspect that there may be an attempt on her life.'

Aelora nods and looks eager to begin. I try to place the girl's name in my memory of historical events and come up a blank. Surprising since History is, literally, my life.

'What's so special about this Flora?' I ask.

Dad hesitates before answering me and chooses his words carefully. 'Well not much notable happens in her own lifetime, but her son grows up to write some of the most well known books in the twentieth century, inspiring millions.'

Aelora and I nod and after a few more instructions (mainly guidelines as to what not to do) we leave my dad and headed up a short flight of stairs that disappear after us, straight away. We find ourselves in a long room, filled on either side with clothes of all varieties. Aelora begins her walk first and ends up dressed in a rich red Victorian dress with a matching outer coat. Her hair has changed, both in colour and length and she now finds her self with shoulder length blonde, curly hair. A few minutes later I find myself dressed in a posh, black suit, typically Victorian style. My hair now shorter and deepest black.

Aelora smiles. 'That look suits you Cousin.'

I just roll my eyes and lead the way to the adjoining room where we are sprinkled with dust. Shaking my head to get rid of the excess. I give Aelora a small bow.

'Mrs Anna Hurst.'

She returns the bow with a curtsey. 'Mr Edward Hurst.'

I find it quite amusing that we are to be playing a married couple, distantly related to the child Flora. Aeloa doesn't look that bad either, with her hair all done like that, she should have gone blonde sooner.

'Ew! Come on! We're cousins Ethan!' Aelora hits my shoulder, jolting me back to the present with the twinge of embarrassment. Obviously I had forgotten to screen that last thought from her. But she's smiling letting me know she forgives me.

'Come, lets go and get this over with!'

We move upwards several flights of stairs, through the still under-construction citadel. After the battle of the Guard against Lathenia's Order the citadel had been destroyed. It was only after Matt had become leader of the Tribunal that they had begun to rebuild the vast palace. It was now, I am told, better than it was before. Reaching a door way, we peer through, before taking a deep breath and leaping into nineteenth century Ireland.

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Me and Aelora, or Anna as I have to call her for the time being, have been in this country for more than a week. Thanks to our alibi we have been accepted by Flora's family and are actually staying with them as guest. Flora is a brilliant child. For her age she's really witty and knows more than she's letting on. She's especially taken a liking to Aelora, which is good.

Our first night here was kind of embarrassing, although being around Aelora (who delights in embrassing me) I should have guessed. As we're under the pretence of man and wife we've been given one room, with one bed. Luckily its not an issue. But after 6 nights of sleeping on a couch, I'm beginning to wish that the order would make their move already.

As we walk down a crowded street, Flora holding Aelora's hand and chatting happily, I can't help but think that its all a bit strange somehow. The order haven't given the guard, much trouble since the death of Lathenia, but someone is opening the portals to the past, and from what Eloise tells me, that requires nothing less than immortal like powers.

We reach a tall, rather grand building and I can't help but let a grin cross my face. We're about to see a genuine theatre play, right out of the Victorian times. There's an underlying concern however, both me and Aelora think that this is going to be when the Order makes its move.

We get through the first and second act ok, but its during the interval that things start to go wrong. Flora starts fidgeting and her mother, Louise, asks if we'd be good enough to take out her out to the foyer to stretch her legs a bit. Of course we agree. I follow Aelora and Flora through the crowds until we come to, what is still a relatively crowded foyer. A street performer has come inside and is performing all sorts of tricks and Flora pulls out of Aelora's hand to go and watch, her face captivated by the act being performed. Aelora and I stand a few feet away, keeping a close eye on our charge.

Suddenly one of the doors to the second theatre opens and the crowd spills out. Our view of Flora is blocked for a few seconds. As the crowd thins we search the small group of children for Flora, but she isn't there.

We share panicked looks for a second and I hear Aelora's thoughts. In her horror of losing Flora she forgets to block them.

Quickly I spin around and scour the dissipating crowd for any sign of the young girl. Suddenly Aelora takes off beside me.

'Anna! Wait!'

But she doesn't wait, just continues to run off, diving through a door on the far side of the foyer. Cursing quietly I take off after her. Pulling open the door that Aelora had ran through, the scene behind throws me for a second.

Aelora is fighting with a sandy hair guy and whilst he's very good, Aelora is holding her own. Meanwhile another man, this time black haired like me, is pulling Flora away. Quickly regaining my sensing I run after the man with Flora, flinging out my hand as I go. A wall of ice appears behind the pair and the black hand man, who is too busy with Flora to notice, crashing into it, falling to the ground, his grip on Flora weakening. Quickly she struggles free and comes running towards me. The black haired man stands up and lets out a strangled yell. He comes racing towards me but I'm ready for him. Ducking I dodge his fist to my head and drive my elbow into his stomach. He double's over, winded and I bring my right fist up to connect with his fist. With a groan he falls to the floor and I jump back, taking hold of Flora.

Behind me, Aelora finishes off with the sandy haired man, who gives the pair of us a look of disgust. Spitting on the ground he grabs the other man roughly by the arm and calls out a name, 'Sorcha!', and vanishes.

Aelora and I share a look before sobbing grabs my attention.

'Hey there, don't worry, the bad men have gone now.' Aelora says softly to Flora, putting her arms around the sobbing girl. 'Your safe now.' Carefully she picks up the girl. 'We should get her back to her parents.'

I nod my agreement and we make our way back to the theatre. After delivering Flora back to her parents, we make our excuses and find an empty room. For a moment we don't say anything, then together, call out my fathers name.

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A/N - Third chapter of my story. Ethan's point of view again. This was the first scene in which conflict with the order happens, not sure if I did it good, but oh well. Flora (incase you were curious) is the mother of C.S. Lewis (author of the Chronicles of Narnia) and the date is when she would have been 10. Hope this chapter explained somethings, like Ethan's parentage!

Thanks to those that review my previous chapters, I've read every one and I really appriciate it. If you read this chapter, please review so I know what you think and whether I should continue. Thanks.


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